Rod cleaner



Aug. 9, 193$.

G. E. SLAUGENHOP mmm ROD CLEANER Filed March 2, 1936 INVENTOR.

A ORN E Y.

Patented Aug:- 9, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROD CLEANER George E. Slangenhop, Vernon, Tex.

Application March 2, 1936, Serial No. 66,726

5 Claims. (Cl. 15-210 The present invention is directed to means for cleaning pump rods when drawing them from oil wells. These rods vary in size and the couplings are not always uniform, hence, it is an object of the invention to provide a device which is practically universal in adapting itself to various sizes of rods and styles of couplings.

The invention further contemplates a device embodying flexible wiping elements which completely encircle the rod and admit of the cleaner being readily applied to and removed from the rod, and which conforms to irregularities and insures a thorough removal of foreign matter from the red as it is withdrawn from the well.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with others which will manifest themselves as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the drawing hereto attached inwhich like reference characters designate like parts in the following description and in the several views of the drawing.

It is to be understood that while the drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention and that while the invention is designed to be used primarily with sucker rods, it may be adapted for other uses as necessity demands and changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a rod cleaner embodying the invention, the members being separated and the rod in section.

Figure 2 is a similar view, the members being I closed and the flexible wipers embracing the rod.

Figure 3 is a front view showing the cleaner applied.

The cleaner embodies similar or like members which are pivotally connected at one end and separable at the opposite end for ready application to or removal from a sucker rod 8. Each of the members comprises a U-frar'ne 5 and opposite alined arms 4-4. The arms 4 terminate in grips for convenience of manipulating the device. The arms 4' are offset and pivotally connected at 9. The arms 4 and 4' are in the same plane, as shown most clearly in Figure 3, whereas the frames 5 are offset to overlap, as indicated in Figure 3. A flexible wiper element 1 of metal, fabric, or similar material, is provided for each of the members and extends between the open ends of the U-frames 5 and is attached to the legs thereof. These wipers I are of a length to form loops and embrace the-rod 8 as shown in Figure 2. Bolts 6 connect the wiper elements I to the free ends of the frames 5. Bars ll embrace the arms 4' and are attached to one of them and serve to brace the device and maintain the members in a given plane.

In practice, the cleaneris positioned to clear the tubing l2 of the well and is anchored at the pivotal end by suitable connections 13 attached to the members by fastenings Ill. The members are disposed upon opposite sides of the rod 8 and when closed, as indicated in Figure 2, the wipers I embrace the rod and remove sludge and foreign matter therefrom as it is drawn from the well, as will be readily comprehended. Each member constitutes a handle bar which is conveniently manipulated by the grip at the free end thereof. Irregularity in the rod orcoupling is readily compensated for by the flexible wipers and their loop form insures complete embracing of the rod and removal of foreign matter therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

l. A rod cleaner comprising members pivoted together and having U-portions facing onetoward another and laterally offset from each other in position for overlapping, and flexible wiper ele-- ments arranged in bridging relation across the open ends of the U-portions.

2. A rod cleaner comprising a pair of members each of which includes a U-portion facing toward the U-portionof the other member and laterally offset therefrom, and each member including arms projecting in opposite directions from the legs of the 'U-portions, the arms on one side being pivotally connected together and the arms on the opposite side forming handles, and flexible cable wiper elements at the open ends of the U-portions.

3. A rod cleaner comprising members pivotally connected together at one end and having U- pcrtions intermediate their ends facing one toward another and offset in opposite directions to overlap, and loop-shaped flexible wipers at the open ends of the U-portions and connected to the legs thereof.

4. A rod cleaner comprising members pivotally connected together at' one end and having parallel yoke portions arranged in different planes and facing one toward another, and a flexible wiper arranged in bridging relation across the open side of each yoke portion.

5. A rod cleaner comprising members pivotally connected together at one end and having handles formed at the opposite end thereof, said members having the, major portions thereof in the same plane and having intermediate portions laterally offset in opposite directions to overlap, each of said offset portions being approximately U-shaped in a plane approximately parallel with the other offset U-shaped portion in positions for lateral overlapping of said U-shaped portions, said Uyshaped portions facing one toward another, and an elongated flexible wiper arranged 1 across the open side of each U-shaped portion 

